IB Results Day: What to Do If Your IB Results Are Lower Than Expected
Opening your IB results to find scores below what you had hoped for is genuinely difficult. You have worked diligently for two years, and it’s natural to feel disappointed or frustrated about what comes next, especially if you scored below your university offer. However, what many students don’t realise is a lower-than-expected IB score does not immediately mean the end of your university options. The UK admissions system has mechanisms in place for flexibility precisely because results day often brings both welcome and unwelcome surprises. Offers are not always as rigid as they appear on paper, and alternative pathways exist even when initial outcomes feel discouraging.
After receiving disappointing IB results, acting quickly is important. Drawing on our experience helping students navigate Oxbridge and other competitive UK admissions, we will break down your practical next steps in the rest of this article and by the end, you’ll have a clear action plan that turns uncertainty into momentum.
Understanding Your Results
Your IB offer for university most likely consists of two requirements, both of which you have to satisfy to go to your university, one regarding total IB points, and the other defining the necessary HL subject grades. Check these conditions carefully, and clarify how short you fall below your university offer. The good news is some universities are more concerned with the grades you achieve in your specific HL subjects as opposed to your overall IB score. This is because your HL subjects are most likely to relate directly to your undergraduate degree.
As a result, some universities confirm places even if grades are narrowly missed. Check your UCAS account or call your university’s admissions office to clarify if you are still admitted.
Should You Consider a Remark?
Another option is to consider getting your exam papers re-marked, allowing the possibility for your grade to change. While a remark can increase your score, it can also lead to a grade remaining unchanged or even decreasing. However, if you are close to the upper grade boundary, it is much more likely that you will move up a grade rather than down, in which case re-marking your paper is a much more viable option.
Furthermore, some subjects have more subjective marking and are therefore more suitable for re-marking (e.g. History, English Literature) as your grade is more likely to move. Other subjects (e.g. Maths, Sciences) are assessed more objectively and so your grade is less likely to move after a re-mark.
In any case, it’s important to have realistic expectations when asking for your exam papers to be re-marked. Your grade is not likely to move up if your current mark is close to the lower end of the grade boundary, and you’re re-marking a paper for a less objectively assessed subject.
Clearing and Alternative Pathways
Clearing often carries an unfair reputation as a ‘last resort’ but in reality, it’s simply the process that matches unfilled university places with qualified students who do not currently hold offers, including students with strong grades.
For students receiving December IB results, however, the situation is more nuanced. The main Clearing period typically runs from early July to late October. By December, most September entry places have already been filled, and January entry options remain limited across UK universities. As a result, December IB students often need to consider alternative timelines rather than immediate entry.
You are eligible for Clearing if you’ve received your IB results and either:
Didn’t receive any offers from your five UCAS choices
Declined all your offers
Didn’t meet the conditions for your offers
Strong universities regularly have Clearing vacancies for several reasons: more students than expected firm other choices, course-specific balances occur, international students face last-minute visa issues, or universities strategically hold back places for high-performing students who narrowly missed their offer elsewhere. Recent years have seen Russell Group universities enter clearing for specific courses.
Given the timing challenges as a December IB student, you have several strategic pathways:
Contact universities directly about deferred entry: Some universities may accept you for the following September if you narrowly missed your offer. Call admissions offices to discuss your specific situation.
Apply through UCAS for the next cycle: You can submit a fresh application for the following year's entry. Your final IB results strengthen your application compared to predicted grades.
Explore January/spring entry: A small number of UK universities offer January or spring term entry for certain courses, though options are limited.
Consider foundation year programmes: These one-year programmes prepare students for undergraduate study and may have more flexible entry points.
If you're exploring immediate entry options, contact university admissions offices directly to ask about:
Any remaining places for immediate entry
Possibility of deferred September entry based on your results
Alternative courses with similar content
Foundation year routes
When you call, have your UCAS number, IB score breakdown, and personal statement ready.
When Might a Gap Year Be the Right Strategic Choice?
For some, taking a gap year is a suitable choice, it’s a strategic reset that can strengthen your university applications, particularly if you’re aiming for highly competitive programmes.
When to consider a gap year:
You have a dream university and course you’re genuinely committed to pursuing
You narrowly missed your offer and believe you can strengthen specific subject grades through retakes
You want to build a more compelling application through relevant work experience, projects, or skills development directly related to your degree
Your IB results do not reflect your true ability due to extenuating circumstances
When you reapply after a gap year, you can demonstrate how you’ve used your gap year productively, and submit a stronger application.
Take the case of a Singaporean student who was rejected by Oxford Law with an overall predicted IB score of 36. Rather than accepting an offer elsewhere, she took a gap year, achieved 42 points in her final exams, completed a legal internship in Singapore, and successfully gained admission to Oxford on her second application. Her reapplication demonstrated both academic improvement and focused commitment to law.
A successful gap year requires structure and purpose. Universities want to see that you have used your time meaningfully. Focus on activities that:
Demonstrate continued academic engagement (online courses, reading, research)
Build relevant skills or experience for your intended degree
Show initiative, independence, and intellectual curiosity
Conclusion
Receiving disappointing IB results can feel overwhelming, but it’s important to recognise that results day does not define your future. Great outcomes remain achievable through Clearing, gap year strategies, re-marking, or direct university contact. The hours and days following results are crucial. While it’s natural to feel disappointed, the students who navigate this successfully are those who shift quickly from processing emotions to evaluating practical options. This could mean calling university admissions offices, researching Clearing opportunities, or assessing whether taking a gap year and reapplying might be the best option for you.
For families who want clarity, reassurance, and a strategic plan forward, speaking to an experienced UK university admissions specialist can make all the difference in the days following IB results. Your IB journey has equipped you with resilience, critical thinking, and adaptability. Those same skills that got you through the Diploma Programme will serve you well in navigating whatever comes next.
